Speaking Monday on the sidelines of the U.N. climate summit, Rutte said there’s already a lot of understanding in the Netherlands about the urgency of curbing global warming.

Rutte told The Associated Press that with millions of Dutch living in low areas and the country’s main airport being below sea level “you have your evidence and your case in point to make sure that you prevent sea levels from rising even further.”

Asked about recent violent protests in France against fuel price hikes, Rutte said “you have to bring (this knowledge) along to the whole of society in a way that people understand.”